


Double-Cross

by Bean_writes



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bartender Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Bartenders, Bathroom Sex, Betrayal, Blood and Violence, Crime Boss Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Drug Dealing, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Happy Ending, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Hand Jobs, Journalist Jaskier | Dandelion, M/M, Mafia Boss Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Mafia Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Marking, Organized Crime, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Tattoos, Undercover, Violence, no drug use, spoilers in the tags!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-16 10:20:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29330694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bean_writes/pseuds/Bean_writes
Summary: Jaskier has always taken an exceptional interest in the White Wolf, an infamous mafia boss who never emerges from the dark corners of the city. After doing his bachelor thesis on the organization, Jaskier decides to become his own employer. With his parents' wealth, he plans to get to the bottom of the city's secrets while going undercover, but when a handsome bartender crosses his path, he finds it incredibly hard to stay focused on his objective.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Triss Merigold/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 62
Kudos: 169
Collections: GRB2020 Team Works





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my entry for the geraskier reverse bang 2020! I've always had this idea to write a mafia/organized crime au with Geralt and Jaskier but finally got the motivation to do so after being paired up with my artist, [Linx ](https://linx1457.tumblr.com/):D
> 
> Warnings: violence, blood, we're talking about a mafia au here, folks! The violence will NOT be between Geralt and Jaskier.
> 
> Extra shoutout to my amazing beta, [rachel_exe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachel_exe/pseuds/rachel_exe)!

Jaskier had dressed to blend in; nothing too out there that could possibly blow his cover. He was a man of slightly above average height, with neatly kept brown hair and grey eyes. He had decided to wear a brown vest with regular pants and a white dress shirt; still nice but not over the top. He didn’t want to draw too much attention on the first night in case this wouldn’t end well. 

His masterplan was to go to the different bars in the city that could possibly be connected to an underground drug cartel. His previous boss had called him insane, rather screamed at the top of his lungs when Jaskier had so much as dropped a hint about wanting to uncover the secrets that happened behind closed doors. It was then that Jaskier had decided to go solo; he didn’t need an employer anyway. 

With a large sum of money still in his bank account from the time his parents died, Jaskier could survive without any income for at least a couple of years. This job, finding out who the hell the infamous White Wolf was and how he ran his corporation, was purely out of his own interest. 

The White Wolf was known for never emerging from the dark corners of the city. No one knew who he was except for his employees, and when they did try to do so much as make a squeak about his identity, they and their bodies would disappear. 

A chill ran down Jaskier’s spine as he stepped out of the cab. It was a dangerous job, he knew that. But the fact that the city was run by such an inherently perilous yet neatly organized cartel, had piqued his interest years ago. 

The first time he had heard of the White Wolf and his comrades had been six years ago. There had been an article in the newspaper about a missing person alert and how it might have possibly been tied to the drug organization that plagued their city. Jaskier had been sitting on the edge of his seat, nervously tapping his foot as he skimmed through the article. Nothing, they hadn’t found anything. Not even two years later, when Jaskier went off to college to study journalism. 

He had done his bachelor thesis on the subject, much to his professor’s dismay about the topic. He had deemed it unworthy, too much speculation in his opinion. Jaskier barely graduated college because of that professor but couldn’t let go of the subject once he started working. 

By now, he had interviewed at least fifty people about the organization, and yet no one had told him anything worthwhile other than that they worked through a bar. The drugs would get delivered to said bar and then distributed amongst the customers or to errand boys. 

That was why Jaskier knew he had to find that bar to get to the bottom of it all. The biggest clue he had come across was that the name of the bar involved something with the word ‘wolf’. He was able to narrow down his search to seven different bars in the city. 

The first one he decided to observe was _The Silver Wolf_. A fitting name for a drug cartel, Jaskier thought as he saw the large neon sign in front of the building. But the interior screamed nothing but tacky, as if someone’s grandma had decided to decorate it. The colors clashed with everything; yellow, purple, and green walls that made him sick to his stomach.

The second thing Jaskier noted was the fact that there were no bouncers present and barely anyone was sitting in the booths or at the counter. This probably wasn’t the place, Jaskier thought as he took a seat at the far end of the bar. He would stay here for a drink or two so no one would deem him suspicious unless something tickled his interest.

The bartender was nice, welcoming, and Jaskier would have almost said she was completely innocent if it hadn’t been for the weird flirting she tried to pull off. 

“I’m glad the universe decided to push your cute, perky ass in here, sweety. I’d almost say this was fate.”

Jaskier put on a gentle smile despite cringing on the inside. Read the room lady, he was gay. Well, he had had a few adventures with women before, but nothing to the point of wanting it to happen again any time soon unless there was a third party involved.

After his second shot of vodka, he gave her a quick nod and passed her some cash, including a tip. 

“Thank you for the drinks,” Jaskier said, waving at the other employees as he made his way out of the bar. 

The cool winter air hit him like a brick, but he welcomed the change of temperature. It was enough to make him come back to his senses despite having some alcohol in his system and call a cab to take him to the second bar. He couldn’t stay too long there; two, maybe three drinks and he would have to leave. Jaskier had a tendency to overshare when he was drunk.

 _The House of Wolves_ was a more prestigious place from what he had heard. A little pricier and known for their expensive taste in liquor. Jaskier picked up on a luxurious, yet welcoming feel once he stepped through the front door. 

There was smooth music playing in the background, and the booths were full of people in their twenties or thirties, chatting and laughing while downing their drinks and snacking on their food. The counter was less packed, yet there were still only four bar stools left. All the employees wore neat white dress shirts and black suit pants, and they gracefully took the expensive bottles of liquor from the large shelves that stretched across the entire dimly illuminated bar.

That was more like it.

He noted the two bouncers at both ends of the room as he sat down on an empty bar stool. As he was busy paying attention to a tall, white-haired server bringing a couple of drinks to one of the booths, a bartender approached him.

“What can I get you tonight?” a broad brunet said. He had a large scar stretched across the right side of his face, and it took Jaskier a moment to regain his train of thought and nod politely.

“Whiskey, neat. Thank you,” Jaskier replied, watching how the man gracefully grabbed the bottle and poured the alcohol in his glass. 

“You’re new around here. I don’t think I’ve seen your face before?” The bartender leaned on the bar. He had a gentle yet brute demeanor about him that Jaskier couldn’t place. 

“I am.” Jaskier took a gulp of his glass. “Just moved here.”

“I’m Eskel, by the way.” The man offered out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Jaskier,” he nodded and shook Eskel’s hand. “This is a nice place.” 

Eskel smiled at the compliment. “I’ll tell my boss you liked it here.”

Jaskier chuckled at that. Usually, he was good at making small talk, but the situation made him awfully aware of anything that came out of his mouth. He knew the possibilities of it being used against him, so he refrained from speaking too much.

“So, Jaskier. What made you come to the city?” 

“Work.” Jaskier took another swig of his drink, feeling the heat spread in his chest as the alcohol streamed in his body. “I know, boring.”

“Not boring at all,” Eskel said, making a move to fill up his glass again but was stopped by one of the other employees; the white-haired server from before. Eskel left without another word, simply nodded at Jaskier as he made his way to the back of the bar.

Suspicious, Jaskier thought, but his attention was immediately drawn to the tall man in front of him. He had the most vibrant, golden eyes he had ever laid his eyes upon, accompanied by long white hair he had put up in a ponytail.

The man filled up Jaskier’s drink without as much as a question, smirking as he poured the liquid into his glass, and Jaskier couldn’t help but notice the muscles flexing on his forearm; the bartender probably knew his physique would give him extra tips with his rolled-up sleeves.

“It looked like you could use another one,” the man said, gaze piercing through Jaskier as they locked eyes. “It’s Geralt.”

Jaskier blinked a few times, blaming the booze in his system for the immediate attraction he felt towards the bartender. But it wouldn’t stop him from trying to remain casual yet observant. 

“Well, Geralt. What if I didn’t want another one?”

“That would be a shame. I poured it specifically for you.” Geralt took a pause, gaze lingering on Jaskier’s features as he leaned on the bar. “And it’s on the house. So, you’d be foolish to turn this down.”

Jaskier licked his lips. This man was cocky. “Turn _you_ down, you mean?” 

“Oh,” Geralt smirked, letting his gaze drop to the rest of Jaskier’s body. And shameless too. “Straightforward. How about that?”

Jaskier broke his teasing demeanor by letting out a chuckle as he tore his eyes off of the man. “Is this your thing? Flirting with newcomers?”

“I have to give you a reason to come back, no?” Geralt formed a bridge with his hand, resting his chin on top of it. 

“Oh, and why is that?” Jaskier hummed teasingly.

Geralt grinned, sticking out his tongue to lick his bottom lip before taking the bottle of whiskey again and filling up Jaskier’s glass. “So I can take your money. What else?”

“Funny.” Jaskier rolled his eyes. “And quite tempting too, but I have to get going now. Early work day tomorrow. I’ll see you around… or not.” Jaskier finished his drink in one go, putting the glass on the counter again.

As Jaskier stood up and swiped a twenty over the counter, he absolutely loved the brief flabbergasted look Geralt had on his face. His brows had slightly raised when Jaskier had gotten up before they were set into their usual scowl. 

Jaskier reeled from the ego boost, but he wasn’t so stupid that he wouldn’t pay attention any longer to what he had actually been there for. He noted the enlarged pupils of the people sitting at one of the booths, and the way sweat dripped down their temples. The bar wasn’t hot in the slightest, or at least not searing hot which would explain the physiological reaction they had going on.

He would have to pay more attention to their drinks the next time he would go there. Drugs were common amongst the young folk, but there had been no sign of dealers or anyone too suspicious in the bar. _House of Wolves_ would stay on the list, he decided once he made his way into his temporary apartment.

Taking out his notebook and voice recorder, Jaskier talked about his observations from the evening. 

“ _The Silver Wolf_ is scrapped off the list. An ordinary bar, nothing that would come close to the bar that the White Wolf would run. The second bar, _House of Wolves,_ seems to be more promising. I’ll look into the other bars over the next couple of days, but I definitely need to go back there. This might be the place where the drug cartel operates. I’ll be looking out for more clues.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For early access to new chapters, check out the info on my tumblr! Due to AO3's regulations, I'm not allowed to talk about it here :D  
> Chapter 2 & 3 are already available!


	2. Chapter 2

The next evening, Jaskier decided to go to a few other bars to not seem suspicious to the handsome bartender at the _House of Wolves_ . The _Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_ was the next one on his list. It was on the opposite side of the city compared to where he had been the previous night, and it took him an extra twenty minutes in a cab to get there. If he kept this up, he might have to reevaluate whether he didn’t have to get an extra job. 

It would be a good cover, Jaskier tapped his index finger on his lips. That was a thought for later.

Slightly more well dressed, Jaskier’s senses were sent tumbling around. The lights and the loud music from this club made it impossible for the journalist to indicate if someone was approaching him or merely dancing around him as he tried to make his way to the bar. It wasn’t a large scale club, in fact, it was rather small, with the bar lining the right side of the wall next to the DJ booth. A completely different feel compared to the _House of Wolves_ , yet the employees wore the same clothing. What caught his attention first was the black-haired woman with smooth skin, effortlessly shaking someone’s drink before sliding it over the bar with grace. That needed some skill, Jaskier thought as he nodded at the woman.

She strolled towards his end of the bar, leaning on the dark wood as Jaskier sat down on the barstool. 

“What’s your poison, sweety?” the woman asked, luscious black locks falling before her eyes. 

“Whiskey, neat,” Jaskier said, reciprocating her careful smile. 

Jaskier followed her with his eyes as she took the bottle of whiskey from the wall. There was only one other bartender, a vibrant redhead with freckles. She had her hair up in two buns and a smile stretched her rosy cheeks when the raven wrapped her hand around her waist and gave her a kiss on her cheek.

A couple? Possibly. They seemed to act natural around one another, but Jaskier couldn’t tell if it was for the gaze of their customers or if it was genuine. It wasn’t any of his business anyway, but it could be a helpful side note if he deemed this place suspicious.

So far, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. People dancing on the floor, loud music thrumming in his ears as he felt the vibrations go straight to his ribs. He both loved and hated that feeling, and so he welcomed the pleasant burn that spread through his chest when he took a large gulp from his glass.

“Rough day?” The black-haired woman raised a brow.

“Actually, it wasn’t that bad. I just really needed a drink,” Jaskier said in honesty. He wasn’t the greatest liar and had to tiptoe around what he planned to say. Once he started lying, he never seemed to be able to stop and soon would get caught in his web of lies.

“Well, isn’t that a mood?” she chuckled. She took two shot glasses from underneath the bar and filled them up with whiskey, pouring the liquid with perfect accuracy. “Triss, baby, come take a shot with our new friend.” 

The redhead turned on her heel, swaying her hips as she walked to where Jaskier was seated. “What are we cheering on?”

“Triss.” The black-haired woman gave her the shot glass and pointed her own at Jaskier. “This is…”

“Jaskier.” He nodded, wrapping his fingers around his own glass. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Yennefer, and this absolute cutie here is my girlfriend, Triss.” The raven received a gentle shove in her side and they chuckled between themselves before raising their glasses. 

“To the fresh meat in town,” Triss chuckled and they clinked their glasses together before downing the rest of their drinks.

While Triss went to serve the other customers, Jaskier and Yennefer made some small talk. She asked him why he had moved to the city, and just like the day before Jaskier replied with ‘work’.

“We all need to make money somehow.” She nodded while filling up Jaskier’s glass again without asking. Was this a thing here?

Jaskier raised a brow at the next glass of whiskey that was waiting for him. He had still wanted to check out another bar or club this evening, but from the looks of it, he’d be far too buzzed by the time he left this place to professionally observe the next bar. 

Hissing once the liquid hit the back of his throat, Jaskier was about halfway done with finishing his drink when Triss approached him next.

“Jaskier was it, right?” 

The brunet hummed in acknowledgment, looking at the other customers through his peripheral vision, something he had forgotten to do the previous night. The hot bartender be damned. 

“Quite the interesting name. Is it Polish?” 

Jaskier’s eyes widened at that. No one had ever been right at guessing his heritage before simply by his name.

“Uhm… it is.”

She cocked her head to the side. “Did I say something wrong?”

“No, not at all.” Jaskier shook his head. That had been a mistake, he felt his head grow heavier by the minute. This whiskey was strong. Maybe he should refrain from ordering it again. “No one has ever gotten it right on the first try.”

“Ah, I majored in European History at college,” she said, pouring herself another shot. How Jaskier wished he had her tolerance for alcohol. Maybe he should get a beer next time? Wasn’t that proven to take a long time before getting someone drunk? 

_Focus, Jaskier._

“That’s really interesting. Not a lot of people seem to take an interest in that.” He blinked a few times, trying to make his eyes focus again. The heat that had started in his chest, had worked its way up to his cheeks and he felt like his entire face was as red as a tomato. 

“Yeah, our class was really small. And don’t even get me started on the weird boys who were way too interested in the two World Wars.”

Jaskier chuckled at that. When he was studying journalism there were always two or three guys who were way too obsessed with that era as well, and he would always facepalm himself internally when they presented yet another article on the subject. 

“They were probably creaming their pants once they learned what happened to Poland,” Jaskier’s words started slurring and he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “Damn, this stuff is strong.”

Triss chuckled and patted him gently on the head. “Poor baby can’t handle his liquor. No offense, it’s cute.”

“At least I got that going for me, too bad there aren’t any cute guys around.” 

Jaskier’s eyes widened as he realized he had let his mouth wander yet again. 

Letting his head hang between his shoulders, Jaskier let out a sigh. “I’m sorry, I’ve had too much to drink.”

Triss crossed her arms over her chest, giggling as she helped a different customer with their drinks. “It’s okay, sweety. I’d suggest getting a little basket of fries to help you through it, unless you’re gonna throw up. Then there’s the bathroom.” She pointed to Jaskier’s left.

“Hmm, not really someone who throws up when he’s drunk. But I could definitely use some cool water on my face. I feel like a volcano.”

After she barked out a laugh, Jaskier wobbled to the bathroom. It was quite clean, much to his surprise, and he tried to recollect himself after splashing some cool water on his face by looking at himself in the mirror.

His pupils were dilated, but the bathroom was barely lit. He was definitely going to take a drug test at home even though he doubted that the bartenders had put anything in his drink. It could simply be a strong whiskey, and maybe that he hadn’t eaten properly before he left, but he needed to be thorough, he couldn’t miss a link like this.

Jaskier had zero experience with taking drugs, only knew the effects they had on people so he had nothing to compare this to. He felt drunk, really drunk, but the cold water dripping down the side of his face seemed to clear his mind a little. Yeah, definitely just drunk. 

He ordered a basket of curly fries after he sat down again, and chatted with both Yennefer and Triss before taking his leave. 

“Be sure to stop by again.” Triss waved at him when he adjusted his coat before making his way outside. It was already past two; too late to stop by a different bar, and he was still dragging his feet over the concrete. 

Still buzzed, he managed to almost dive in the back of the cab and nearly dozed off while the driver took him back to his apartment. Jaskier wasn’t only an honest drunk, but a very sleepy one too.

It wasn’t his best idea to record himself while he still had more than enough alcohol in his system, but he needed to get it out while it was still fresh so he could adjust his notes in the morning. 

“I’m going to need to pee in a cup to check if there was something in my drink. I doubt it, but the whiskey made me more drunk than usual, and faster too. If they did spice up my drink, I know this bar will stay on the list and I might be getting closer to the truth. Haha, that sounded so serious. Okay,” he cleared his throat and straightened his back while he leaned on his kitchen counter. “Focus, Jaskier. _Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_ was cozy. I didn’t notice anything strange happening, and none of the people dancing seemed to be under the influence of anything other than alcohol and maybe marihuana. Everything legal,” he sighed and pressed the pause button.

Running a hand through his hair, Jaskier let his head tip back. His gut feeling said this wasn’t the place, but the little voice in his head told him otherwise. That this might not be where the White Wolf was doing his business, but he had an inkling he knew about this club and they knew about him and his so-called company.

“The employees wore the same outfit as the _House of Wolves_ . I would have to dig a little deeper, maybe look at trademarks and brands of liquor the next time. They could be connected, and a connection could imply a workstream. I won’t be stopping at Triss and Yennefer for a week, I was starting to run my mouth once I was drunk and they might take advantage of that if they’re linked to the White Wolf. Tomorrow I’m going to check out another bar before, hopefully, stopping by the _House of Wolves_ again.”

The test came back negative, and while Jaskier sighed in relief, he felt his frustration bubble up as well. Instead of dwelling on his annoyance, he reminded himself he had only been here for two nights. He shouldn’t get his hopes of finding the answer up this soon. 

Undercover agents had tried to worm their way into the lair before, but to no avail, so they had stated publicly. Jaskier wished he had access to the official files while this case was still hot. It looked like the missing person’s alerts from years ago had become a cold case at this point. 

A shame, truly. But it implied there was more playroom for Jaskier and he wouldn’t step on anyone’s toes as he tried to dig a little deeper. At this point, Jaskier wondered if this was merely for a good article, and while on one hand, it was out of pure journalistic interest, he also couldn’t help but feel his consciousness nibble at his pride. 

Would he really risk it all for an article? It was true that when he was a little boy he had always wanted to become an agent or an officer, but his altercations with the police after his parents had passed away and he was partying and drinking his sorrows away, while still underage, had made him see the police in a different light. 

‘Fuck the law’, had become his motto at that point. Agents needed to keep themselves to a rule book as to how to approach these situations, and in Jaskier’s opinion, that was what resulted in them never uncovering anything. 

Maybe it was a little short-sighted, but it had made Jaskier come this far. Still, he couldn’t get too ahead of himself. He had to stay humble, observant, acting, and perceiving everything in a new light as if he didn’t know anything. Maybe the countless articles he had read in the past had gotten it all wrong. It was something he needed to take into account when he got himself ready for another night out at the _House of Wolves_.

Now that he had seen the inside, and the usual crowd, he knew how to dress appropriately. With the first two buttons of his turquoise shirt undone, black jacket hanging loosely around his sides, matching his pants, Jaskier stepped out the door of his apartment. He had gotten a decent meal this time, in case he couldn’t stop himself from turning down the drinks the bartenders handed him. A part of him wished Geralt would be there again that night. A big part of him, if he had to be honest.

Usually, he didn’t feel an immediate attraction to someone, but there had been something about the way Geralt carried himself that Jaskier couldn’t quite forget; gentle, yet as if he knew everything better than anyone. And cocky too.

Jaskier had to refrain from biting his lip as he caught a glimpse of the hot bartender cutting the lemon and lime in small slices. But he couldn’t let his attraction take the upper hand, he wasn’t here for purely selfish reasons, he had to observe. 

It was earlier than the first time he had been there, and only a couple of booths were occupied. Should he take a seat there and let someone approach him? It would be a smart decision if he wanted to observe the customers dancing or laughing among themselves at the other booths. 

Another night, Jaskier decided. He had wanted to see if the club from the night before could be possibly connected to this bar first. In his drunken haze, he had forgotten to look at the labels on the bottles, but he mentally took note of the ones here as Geralt walked past them.

“I told you, you’d be back,” the man said in his perfectly smooth voice. Jaskier couldn’t quite pinpoint his accent, but he liked the way he spoke even the simplest words. 

Jaskier raised a teasing brow, smirking as he leaned forward. Partially to flirt with Geralt, but he also wanted to take a closer look at the bar. The glasses seemed to be kept under the dark wood, and there were small boxes of fruit on both sides.

“Maybe if you hadn’t been so cocky, I would have come back yesterday.” 

Geralt licked his lips, the corner of his mouth creasing as a subtle smile formed on them. “Ah, I would have almost been offended if it weren’t for your obvious flirting. Do you always insult the people you try to pursue?”

“Who says I’m pursuing you? Maybe you just make good drinks,” Jaskier said, looking at the other bartenders out of the corner of his eye. The last time there had been two, but he spotted a man he hadn’t seen before. Short, buzzed black hair, maybe dark brown, accompanied with brown eyes and a shortly trimmed beard. 

“I’m quite good at reading people, especially if it is my own interest.” 

Jaskier perked up at that, losing his focus on the rest of the bar as it was drawn to his new favorite bartender. “I’d almost say that _you_ are flirting with me and not the other way around.”

“Chicken or the egg?” Geralt shrugged, shooing Eskel away with his hand. “Later. I’m busy.”

“But Vesemir said-” Eskel started but was met with a warning glare. “Later, then.”

Jaskier observed the scene with much interest. He quite liked the intensity Geralt was exuding in front of him.

“Your boss, I take it?” Jaskier grinned, trying to maintain his casual yet flirty exterior. 

“Eskel?” Geralt’s brows furrowed. “Ah, Vesemir. He’s our employer, yes.” 

“Are you… satisfied with working here?” 

A funny look crossed Geralt’s features. “Satisfied? What textbook did you swallow?” 

“Haha,” Jaskier laughed awkwardly, refraining from rubbing his nape even though Geralt’s toothy grin sent a shiver up his spine. “Maybe I should have phrased it differently.”

“Whiskey?” Geralt pointed at the large bottle before continuing as he poured the liquid into a clean glass, “If you’re asking if I like working here, which is the most boring question you could ask me, then yes.” 

“Not my proudest pick-up line,” Jaskier chuckled. “It’s better than ‘do you come here often’.”

Geralt barked out a laugh. His chest heaved as he laughed, and Jaskier was absolutely mesmerized. “I’ll give you that.” He slid Jaskier his drink, fingers resting on top of the glass.

Jaskier raised a brow at the gesture, then flicked his gaze upwards again. Geralt was still staring at him, intensely like he had been doing before a grin tugged at his lips at Jaskier’s questioning gaze.

“You’re not going to let me drink?” Jaskier asked, bemused.

“I want to know something first.”

Geralt seemed serious about his request, and Jaskier had no ground to stand on to deny him, so he nodded. “Okay.”

“Why didn’t you come back yesterday?” Geralt’s chin rested on top of his palm, smile unfaltering as he asked the question.

Jaskier had to blink a few times. He wasn’t that foolish to think there was no deeper meaning behind the simple question. He straightened his back before leaning forward again, teasing glint in his eyes. “I checked out a different bar, why?”

“And why is that?” 

A different look flashed before Geralt’s eyes, one he had never seen before and couldn’t quite place.

“I’m new in town,” Jaskier said, technically not a lie. “Shouldn’t I look around a little before choosing my favorite place to grab a drink?” 

Geralt licked his lips before lifting his hand from the drink. He crossed his arms over his broad chest, nodding as Jaskier wrapped his fingers around the glass and took a sip. “I’m not going to lie, I was slightly offended when I heard you had gone to Yennefer instead of our bar.” 

Eyes widening, Jaskier tried to keep himself from swallowing thickly despite the heavy lump in his throat. So his gut had been right. _The House of Wolves_ and _The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_ were in fact connected. 

“Aww, did I make you jealous?” Jaskier teased instead, even though he felt the tips of his ears grow searing hot. He couldn’t quite pinpoint if he was attracted or frightened by the way Geralt was carrying him at that moment, maybe a combination of both. Jaskier knew he had a thing for intimidating men, Geralt being no exception to that rule. 

The man rubbed his palm over his chin, taking in Jaskier’s words carefully. “I sure hope you’ve chosen your favorite bar now. It would be a shame to lose such a handsome customer to our competition.”

Jaskier leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest, mimicking Geralt’s pose. “He’s telling me I’m handsome so I’ll leave him a nice tip.”

“Of course I am, why else would I say you’re handsome?” Geralt said, ignoring the line of customers as Eskel and the other bartender worked their asses off. “I told you I was gonna take your money.”

“And here I thought you had a thing for me.” Jaskier brought his hand to his chest, feigning his heart breaking. “I’m deeply hurt.”

A teasing glint formed in Geralt’s eyes, and he exchanged a few looks with the other servers. He quickly swung one of the towels over his shoulder and in the blink of an eye, he had his fingers wrapped around Jaskier’s wrist.

Heart stammering in his chest, Jaskier couldn’t do anything other than to look at him wide-eyed, cheeks turning crimson as his perfectly angular face inched closer. He caught a whiff of the man’s cologne, and hell, even the smell of his cologne drove him nuts. 

Geralt’s voice dropped an octave, as he gently pulled Jaskier’s arm forward, mouth inches away from the brunet’s ear. “Hmm, I wonder what I could do to help you ease that pain.”

Jaskier felt his breath softly puff against the shell of his ear, and he wished he could get a taste of those lips he felt ghosting against the side of his neck. He fought back a whimper as a chuckle rumbled deep from inside Geralt’s chest and the sound went straight to his groin. 

Mind blank, Jaskier made a move to tease back, hoping to have the same effect on Geralt, but no sound came past his lips. All he could do was gape at the man when he pulled back, grinning from ear to ear as he finally decided to help the other bartenders with the orders that were piling up at this point.

Still reeling from the moment they had, Jaskier realized the words had only been spoken to him. They had been intimate, not for show, and he could tell from the way Geralt kept glancing back over his shoulder and his stern exterior broke for a split second when he saw Jaskier was still there, that Geralt wanted him too. 

Recollecting himself, Jaskier tried his hardest to ignore the heat pooling in his gut as all the employees busied themselves with work. Now was the perfect moment to observe, and he had to take this opportunity with both hands before it would slip between his fingers when Geralt came back to mess with his mind again. 

He watched how Eskel usually brought the booths their drinks and snacks while Geralt and the other bartender were mainly occupied making the drinks. He didn’t see anything being slipped under any of the glasses, nor was there anything fizzling in any of the drinks from what Jaskier could see. Next time he would definitely have to go sit at one of the booths to take a closer look at what was happening in this bar. Despite his little adventures with one of the bartenders, that wouldn’t mean Jaskier would lose sight of his objective. 

Turning away from the bar, back leaning against the dark wood, Jaskier crossed one leg over the other to get a better look at what the bouncers were up to. One of them was bald, while the other had brown hair and quite the full beard. They stood on opposite ends of the bar, observing the crowd and the people leaving and entering the place. 

They barely moved a muscle, Jaskier noted before forcing his attention back to the other people in the room. If they were professional bouncers they would notice him staring sooner than later so he would have to divide his attention to not seem suspicious. There was something going on in this place, he could tell and his gut feeling told him the same thing. 

He didn’t know if this bar was connected to the organization he was trying to uncover, but something was fishy and it wouldn’t hurt to find out more. If anything, it could lead him to the next clue. 

“Busy looking at the crowd?” Geralt’s smooth voice sounded from behind him, and Jaskier looked back at him over his shoulder. 

“I like observing,” he said, teeth showing as he smiled before looking out in front of him again. Geralt might have had the upper hand before, but Jaskier could tease too and he quite liked to make the man work for it.

“Is that so?” 

Jaskier could hear the grin in his voice, and to his surprise, the man had stepped out from behind the bar with a bottle of whiskey in his hand. The brunet looked up at him, running his tongue across his bottom lip as Geralt filled the glass he held in his hand.

“Is this on the house as well?” Jaskier cocked his head to the side before letting his eyes wander across Geralt’s body. He traced the fine lines of his white button-up with his eyes; the man was ripped, he could tell from the way the lines hugged the outline of his pecs and abs. Small waist, narrow hips, and a set of thighs that could probably crush him. 

He definitely had a thing for men that could break him in half.

“If I keep giving you free drinks then my boss might fire me,” Geralt said, placing the bottle on the bar and leaving his hand there, caging Jaskier between his strong arms. “I’m not ready to lose my job, no matter how pretty you are.”

“Too bad.” Jaskier swallowed, feeling the heat radiating off of Geralt’s body. His stomach fluttered with interest and he had to press his legs closer together to hide the semi he was sporting. Geralt was good. Too good.

Geralt chuckled at the pink hue on Jaskier’s cheeks before his head whipped around to look at the person that walked through the door, and Jaskier followed his stare. The look on Geralt’s face had grown stern again, serious even as he watched the figure in a grey suit make his way into the bar. 

He was alone, and his stance exuded nothing but power despite his older age. His hair was grey, matching his greying mustache. If it hadn’t been for the suit and the belittling demeanor he had about him, Jaskier would have thought he had a friendly face.

“Lambert.” The man snapped his fingers and the bartender with the buzzcut instantly looked at him. “Give me my bottle of bourbon and a glass.”

The man and Geralt exchanged looks, but there was no warmth in there. In fact, the look Geralt had in his eyes was so cold it sent a shiver up Jaskier’s spine. Geralt’s arms were still caging him in and it took Geralt another minute as the man sat down at one of the booths before his attention moved back to Jaskier.

After a moment of silence, Jaskier thought it was fitting to ask a rather daring question. “Do you know him by any chance?

Geralt huffed, shaking his head before running his thumb across Jaskier’s jawline. “He’s a regular. Has been coming here for years.”

Jaskier swallowed at the gesture, trying to keep his focus now that he was retaining new information. “He seems like a big shot, snapping his fingers like that.”

“Yeah.” Geralt let out a sigh with an eye-roll. “He tips good money or Lambert wouldn’t be tolerating that behavior. In fact, I’d be surprised if I didn’t hear him bitching about it for the rest of our shift.” 

Chuckling, Jaskier finished the last of his drink and straightened his back. “Well, good luck with that while I call it a night.” 

“Leaving so soon?” Geralt cocked his head to the side, not moving an inch as he kept Jaskier caged between his arms even though the brunet tried to stand up to put on his coat.

“Are you going to miss me?” Jaskier teased, heart stammering in his chest when their torsos were pressed flush together as he stepped off the barstool. He had expected Geralt to give him some room, but that had been a foolish thought given the way Geralt had been so upfront about being interested in him as well. 

“What would you do if I said I was?” 

Jaskier swallowed thickly, ignoring the fact their lips were mere inches apart and he felt the man’s breath ghost across his cheeks. “I’d give you my deepest apologies as I left.”

“Ouch,” Geralt hissed with a smile. “That’s cold.”

“I can be cold,” Jaskier said, chuckling as Geralt finally made room so he could put on his coat. “Maybe you just don’t know me that well.” 

“There is still time.” Geralt’s grin grew wider and Jaskier had to fight every fiber in his being to not give in and kiss him right on the spot. He knew Geralt could tell he was fighting within himself, it probably fed his ego even more.

Pursing his lips, Jaskier counted his money and handed Geralt a twenty. “Is that enough for tonight?”

“If I say it wasn’t, then you’d have to come back, wouldn’t you?” 

“Perhaps. Maybe I’ll just make a run for it.” Jaskier couldn’t help but smile at the lame teasing, his heart doing nervous somersaults in his chest when their fingers brushed against each other as Geralt accepted the money. “Or I could go back to a different bar. We’ll see.”

When Jaskier made a move to turn around, he felt a strong grip around his wrist. As his eyes connected to Geralt’s, he felt the air being knocked out of his lungs. The look in the man’s eyes was feral, vibrantly gold, and despite initially being intimidated by them, Jaskier couldn’t help but feel even more drawn to the man. 

“Keep teasing me like that and you’ll regret it,” Geralt said through gritted teeth. He had clearly hit a nerve and Jaskier’s pride swelled at the thought.

It took all of Jaskier’s courage to say the next words before making his way out of the bar. “Sounds more like a promise than a warning if you asked me. See you around, Geralt.”

The look on his face had been so utterly worth it to the point Jaskier was still reeling from the stunt by the time he had made it back to his apartment and took a cold glass of water to cool off. He had to get all of this information out of his system before it was too late, even though his mind was still half numb from all the flirting that had been going on that evening.

After taking a deep breath, Jaskier started talking.

“One of the regulars walked in the _House of Wolves_ tonight. He ordered one of the bartenders around as if he owned the place,” Jaskier said, leaning against the kitchen counter with a glass of water in his hand. “It seems to be a reoccurring thing. I’ve also memorized the labels of the liquor to see if they match the ones at _Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_. Geralt knew I had been there, but I forgot to dig deeper. Next time I see an opportunity, I’ll ask.”

Jaskier hit the pause button on his voice-recorder. His groin tightened at the memory of Geralt’s lips inches away from his own, and he didn’t want to hear himself with a shaky voice while he wrote out his notes in the morning. 

“The bouncers didn’t seem involved in a possible drug operation,” Jaskier said once he had caught his breath. “And I didn’t see anything being slipped in or under the glasses of the other customers. Next time, I’ll go sit at one of the booths if they’re free to get a closer look at the situation and avoid possible distractions. I won’t be going there for another week, in case the bouncers saw me observing too much.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts! Chapter 3 is already up (more info on my tumblr) <3


	3. Chapter 3

The week passed by quickly as Jaskier occupied himself with checking out the other bars and clubs in the city, while also allowing himself to take a breather for a couple of nights before heading towards _House of Wolves_ again. He couldn’t afford to lose his liver in the process; everyone in this city had the weird habit of giving him a couple of drinks on the house whenever he dropped by.

 _House of Wolves_ and _Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing_ were still the only places he deemed interesting enough to continue observing. The other places hadn’t been that trustworthy either, but nothing of the same level of what the White Wolf tended to dabble into from what Jaskier had learned. 

Determined to uncover more about the bar, Jaskier straightened his back before walking through the doors of _The House of Wolves_. He noted the bouncers briefly glancing at him before their eyes were set back on the people dancing in the middle of the room. Good, he wasn’t catching their attention. 

As the music thrummed in his chest, he maneuvered through the dancing crowd, shuffling past them, squeezing in between them while sucking in his gut to get to the only empty booth left. He couldn’t afford to get distracted again by the hot bartender. 

With the thought in mind, he let his eyes wander the room before he glanced at the bar. Eskel was there, and Lambert too, they were making drinks and scribbling down the orders, but no sign of a particular white-haired man. 

Jaskier couldn’t help but feel slightly disappointed at that, his brows furrowing at the weird mix of emotions playing in his chest. Geralt had gotten under his skin, wormed his way in, and while Jaskier quite liked the dangerous game he was playing with him, he had to remind himself that this was strictly business. Geralt was hot, extremely attractive even, and he had that chemical thing with him, something he hadn’t experienced since his first high-school crush. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t use Geralt’s openness to his advantage, while also indulging himself a little.

That wouldn’t be so bad now, would it?

Jaskier grimaced at the turmoil in his head, playing with the hem of his colorful shirt. He couldn’t even hear the music anymore, as if he was tuning out anything that didn’t fit his mood until Eskel’s voice came from his left. He whipped his head upwards, quite surprised to say the least to find the bartender with the scar on his cheek leaning over the booth. 

“Jaskier, was it?” Eskel asked, cocking his head to the side with a sultry smile. He took a little notepad and a pen from his pocket, looking at Jaskier expectantly.

Jaskier’s mouth felt awfully dry, and his cheeks warmed as the awkwardness surrounded them both. He felt like a teenage boy who had just been caught jacking off. “Yes, hello.”

Eskel tapped his pen on the paper, nodding at the other customers who were trying to get his attention before focusing back on Jaskier. “What would you like to drink?” 

“Whiskey sour this time around,” Jaskier said, taking a good note of Eskel’s attire. Nothing out of the ordinary, he thought and focused back on Eskel’s face instead. 

“And anything to snack on?” 

“No, thank you.” 

Eskel hummed in agreement, sending Jaskier a gentle smile before walking towards the other customers. Now was the time. Jaskier sat up, forming a bridge with his hands and hiding his mouth behind it; he had a terrible poker face. 

The other people in the booth, three girls and two guys, seemed to chat with Eskel before giving their orders. Jaskier couldn’t quite pick up on what they were ordering as he saw the employee scribbling in his notebook. Would that be how the drugs got in?

Was there a sign? A secret codeword that Jaskier hadn’t picked up yet? 

Jaskier didn’t know and it frustrated him to no end. He’d have to observe, even more, surveil what was going on with their orders. He followed Eskel with his eyes, looking away every so often so neither the bartenders nor the bouncers would pick up on his weird behavior. 

Eskel put the notes on the counter, added them to the computer before handing Lambert the orders. That seemed like quite the hassle, Jaskier furrowed his brows. Was there a reason why they didn’t immediately put everything in the computer? Every other bar worked with electronic notepads, not handwritten ones. 

A clue. It must be a clue. 

While Eskel continued to make the drinks, Lambert brought Jaskier his whiskey sour.

“Here,” he deadpanned, and before Jaskier got the chance to make friendly conversation, the man had turned around again and was making his way back to the bar. Not the chatty type, noted. 

Sipping on his drink, Jaskier’s eyes flicked towards the door when he noticed the annoyance on Lambert’s face and Eskel patting him on the back. The man from before again, in his grey suit, exuding the same demeaning power. 

Jaskier licked his lips, following the man with his eyes. He saw him snap his fingers again, yelling something to the bartenders, not even batting an eye as he walked past the bald bouncer. Lambert got up on the step to grab a bottle from the wall. Bourbon again? Jaskier wondered, biting the inside of his cheek.

He saw Eskel and Lambert exchanging a few words before they resumed their work while the man in the suit sat down at the bar with an empty glass and his bottle in his hands. He poured the liquor in the glass efficiently, ignoring the frustrated look Lambert was displaying on his face.

Geralt had said he was a regular, someone who tipped really well and that was why Lambert begrudgingly accepted the behavior. Might be someone more important, Jaskier thought, taking another sip from his glass, letting the sour taste fill up his cheeks before swallowing. He didn’t deem Lambert a pushover, not even for money. There had to be something else going on around here, and maybe that man was a part of it. 

Jaskier took a mental note of the new information, observing the booth in front of him as he tried to get everything straight. They were snacking on a plate of nachos, laughing among themselves. A thin layer of sweat rested on their cheeks, and it was a mystery to Jaskier if it was because of the alcohol or a different substance. 

Tapping his finger on the dark wooden table, Jaskier was too focused on what was happening in front of him to notice the new customer walking in. While he was looking at one of the men in the booth, a familiar broad figure obscured his sight like a black sweep until he focused back on his own booth and almost choked on his spit. Coughing and slapping his chest, Jaskier looked at Geralt wide-eyed, unable to stop himself from making embarrassing sounds as he tried to calm himself down. 

The man was completely in black, the sleeves of his button-up rolled up and leaving nothing to the imagination. He smirked at Jaskier’s poor attempt at regaining his composure.

Jaskier swallowed thickly, looking at Geralt like an ugly fish with his eyes and mouth wide open. 

“Aren’t you happy to see me?” Geralt asked, licking his lips. 

Blinking a few times, Jaskier managed to croak out, “Quite surprised, honestly.”

“And why is that?” Geralt asked in his perfectly smooth voice, flicking his hair up in a loose ponytail as he leaned back in the booth. 

Jaskier still couldn’t believe his eyes, his ego inflating as the thought occurred to him that Eskel or Lambert could have told Geralt that he was here. Did he come here just for him? 

_Focus, Jaskier, focus._

He couldn’t appear as a squealing highschooler. 

Clearing his throat, Jaskier took another sip of his drink before flattening his facial features. “I assumed you weren’t working tonight since I didn’t see you at the bar.” 

“Ah.” Geralt perked up at that, waving at the other bartenders gracefully. Jaskier noted the man’s side profile, his jawline sharp and cheekbones deep. Fucking hell. “It’s my day off.”

Jaskier looked at him expectantly. “Is that so?”

“I’m not going to spell it out for you,” Geralt said, chuckling at the offended look Jaskier gave him. “Where would be the fun in that?”

“Yeah, you’re a tease, I got the m-” 

Jaskier had to tear his eyes off of Geralt and couldn’t finish his sentence as he heard Lambert curse loudly. He saw the bartender steaming from behind the bar, glaring at the man in the grey suit, and Eskel placing a hand on his chest. He couldn’t quite see the man’s face, but he seemed rather unaffected by Lambert’s rage and simply took the bottle of bourbon in his hands and started drinking from it directly. 

“You know it is rude to stare.” Geralt’s voice almost startled Jaskier, and he whipped his head back to the handsome man at the opposite end of his booth.

“I just don’t understand why Lambert puts up with that,” he said in full honesty, noticing Geralt roll his eyes before the man leaned forward.

“You know what? I’ll let you in on a little company secret.” 

“Oh?” Jaskier raised a brow. “Lay it on me.”

Geralt stuck out his tongue and licked his bottom lip at the last comment before inching closer. “But, it comes with a price.”

Jaskier rolled his eyes, letting out a huff. “Of course it does.”

“If I tell you a secret, you should tell me something about yourself,” Geralt said, leaning back into his chair. The man nodded at Eskel when he brought them an extra glass and their spare bottle of whiskey. “Working here has its benefits.”

“I can see that.” Jaskier watched how Geralt filled up his glass. “And why the interest in my life?”

Geralt chuckled at that, mouth creasing as he brought the liquor to his lips. “If you hadn’t noticed, I find you quite interesting. And no one piques my interest.”

“I take that as a compliment.” Jaskier mimicked Geralt and downed the rest of his glass, letting Geralt fill it up to the brim again. “I’ll think about it.”

Geralt clicked his tongue and leaned back in the plush booth. “Doesn’t it surprise you?”

Jaskier raised a brow, gut tightening as he felt the warmth of Geralt’s leg pressed against his own. He cleared his throat, not wanting to let Geralt see how much such a simple gesture affected him. “That you’re interested?” 

Either that was an accident or Geralt was planning to tease him.

Desperate to find out, Jaskier moved his leg and gently nudged his ankle against Geralt’s, heart threatening to break out of his ribcage when he felt Geralt press against him in response. Definitely not an accident, Jaskier concluded as he had to suppress a desperate whimper.

“That,” Geralt said, and Jaskier tried to focus on what the man was saying instead of the constant contact between them beneath the table. “And that it usually doesn’t happen.” 

A grin had formed on Geralt’s lips as he shamelessly stared at Jaskier trying to keep his composure.

“Hmm, I don’t know.” Jaskier licked his lips. “I still think it’s a sad pick-up line to get into my pants.”

“Would that be so bad?” Geralt smirked, eyes twinkling with mischief as he moved his leg further up Jaskier’s calf, feeding off the way the brunet’s cheeks turned crimson. “But I’m serious. I know you don’t know me, but I don’t tend to lie.”

When Jaskier looked up again, he found two stormy golden eyes locked onto his, and he knew he had lost whatever bet they had going on. “Well then, Mister Bartender…”

Geralt scoffed. “Is that what you call me?”

“Would that be so bad?” Jaskier teased back, loving the way Geralt let out a huff through his nose as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Am I getting under your skin?”

Geralt pursed his lips, before looking away. The man looked at something in the distance and before Jaskier had the opportunity to see what Geralt was focusing on, he said, “How about we talk about that secret again? Have you made up your mind?”

“Fine.” Jaskier shrugged, leaning back into the booth. “I have nothing to hide. Tell me your secret.”

“I think you should go first,” Geralt said, looking at Jaskier out of the corner of his eye before giving him his full attention again.

Jaskier cocked his head to the side. “But you came up with the idea.”

“And now I have the marvelous idea of you going first.”

“What are you, a teenager?” Jaskier rolled his eyes.

“Well,” Geralt said, looking at Jaskier and eyeing him up and down before letting his chin rest on his palm. “I sure hope a teenager wouldn’t get you hard from just rubbing ankles.” 

“Disgusting.” 

Geralt barked out a laugh at Jaskier’s scrunched up nose. “No, you like manly men who could fold you in half as they fuck you.”

Jaskier’s eyes widened, swallowing thickly as his groin tightened. How the hell could Geralt talk about it so casually for everyone to hear? “Is that the secret you wanna know?”

“No, the idea of other men doing that to you would drive me mad.”

Jaskier bit his lip, quite liking the idea of being manhandled by someone who wanted to claim every part of his body. “You’re quite possessive.” 

Geralt raised his glass to his lips. “And you’re quite observant.”

“So I’ve been told.” 

They snickered between themselves before Geralt leaned forward again, curling his finger. “Closer.”

Jaskier’s face inched forward, feeling Geralt’s breath puff against his lips. He caught a whiff of the man’s cologne, and hell, even that was damn near perfect. He wished he could bury his face in the man’s neck, he’d practically do anything at this point just to feel Geralt’s body against his.

Geralt cupped his cheek, catching Jaskier by surprise, not giving the brunet the opportunity to make a witty comment as he softly nibbled along his jawline. 

Teeth scraping over the edge of his jaw, Jaskier let out an embarrassing yelp as Geralt trailed upwards, licking the shell of his ear before his breath puffed against the side of Jaskier’s neck. 

Jaskier bit his lip in a poor attempt to keep himself from making any more sounds, speaking through gritted teeth. “Geralt,” he tried to hiss, but his voice was far from even, it came out broken and full of wanton as Geralt chuckled against his neck.

Geralt brought his lips closer to his ear. “See that man at the counter? The one in the suit?”

Jaskier looked at the bar out of the corner of his eye, swallowing thickly as he felt the grip on his cheeks tighten. “The one who pissed off Lambert?”

“Yes,” Geralt said, kissing the shell of his ear before continuing ever so casually. “That’s actually Vesemir. Our boss.”

“What?” Jaskier shrieked, breath getting stuck in his throat when he felt the pressure of Geralt’s boot against his crotch. Oh, God.

“Do you _want_ to draw attention to us?” 

Jaskier swallowed thickly, not able to look away from Geralt’s piercing gaze. The man’s breath puffed against his lips, and Jaskier wondered if Geralt was anticipating the final move from him. One swift movement and he could easily close the distance between them, lunge forward and kiss him hungrily to his heart’s contempt. He stifled a moan at the thought, turning into a sprained groan as he felt the friction on his cock.

“Are you seriously that type of pervert?” Geralt teased, eyeing the tent in Jaskier’s pants before focusing back on the brunet’s beet-red face.

“I’m not,” Jaskier said, breathing heavily to try and regain his composure. “I really am not, so get your boot off of my dick.” 

“Yes, Sir,” Geralt said, holding up his hands as if he was talking to an officer and rested his back against the couch again. 

Jaskier swallowed the lump down his throat, his lips feeling awfully dry as he panted through his mouth. While his face felt like a volcano, cock straining against his jeans, there wasn’t a single indication on Geralt’s face that he was affected by what had just happened. It annoyed Jaskier to no end, wanting to break the man’s serious, composed demeanor. 

Straightening his back, Jaskier cracked his neck. “So, why didn’t you say that last time?”

“He doesn’t like it when people know. Too many gold-diggers,” Geralt said, eyeing the bar again. Was that his thing? Acting disinterested to see how far Jaskier would take it? Two could easily play that game.

“Yet, he comes in here in a full suit and orders the most expensive bottle of bourbon?” Jaskier quirked a brow, looking at the people dancing in the middle of the room. If Geralt wanted to play it casually, he could do casual.

“I didn’t say he was logical.” Geralt chuckled, chin resting on the bridge he made with his hands. “Your turn.”

Jaskier looked at him out of the corner of his eye, shrugging. “Well, what do you wanna know?”

“Why are you here?” 

“Here?” Jaskier tried to keep his voice neutral. There was Geralt again with his strangely specific questions. Did he deem Jaskier suspicious?

“Yes, here,” Geralt said, not blinking, gaze piercing through Jaskier, which made the hairs on his neck stand up.

But he didn’t back down, quite liked the thrill of a man having a dangerous look in his eyes. A look that said, ‘I could ruin you if I wanted to’. “Define it.” 

“You’re so bossy. I like that,” Geralt smirked, leaning back, the tension easing away between them. “Why did you come to the city?”

“Honestly?” Jaskier pursed his lips together, keeping himself from letting out a relieved breath. “I was tired of living in my hometown.”

Geralt raised his brows at that, feigning offense. “So you lied to me?”

“Technically I didn’t.” Jaskier pointed at him with his index finger before taking the bottle of whiskey from the table and filling up both their glasses as he spoke. “I did come here for work. It was simply a win-win situation.”

He had to get back to a different topic. If Geralt continued to ask questions, Jaskier would eventually have to lie, and he was absolutely horrible at it. 

“Plus,” Jaskier said, looking at Geralt through his lashes before taking a sip of his glass. Strike one. “There weren’t any of those men you talked about.”

Geralt’s brows furrowed, his face growing stern. Strike two.

“As you said,” Jaskier continued, smirking at the annoyance that was radiating off of his companion. “I needed a man to be able to fold me in half. Someone who can keep up with my bossy ass.”

 _That_ piqued Geralt’s interest again. “So you decided to come here?” The man leaned forward, the teasing glint back in his eyes which made Jaskier’s heart do nervous somersaults in his chest.

“Call it intuition.” Jaskier shrugged, grinning as he noticed Geralt taking a shaky breath. That was strike three.

Geralt licked his lips, flicking his gaze towards the bar. “You’re doing things to me, boy.”

Jaskier sucked at his teeth, pursing his lips. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But now if you’ll excuse me, I need a piss.” 

“Thanks for the elaboration.” Geralt’s gaze was still focused on the bar as Jaskier stood. He had gotten under his skin, he could tell.

“You’re welcome,” Jaskier said, turning around and walking towards the bathroom. 

It was neat for a bar, quite clean even, Jaskier noted before releasing himself into one of the urinals. The tiles on the walls were black, and the stalls and urinals seemed to be made out of metal.

With a sigh, he tucked himself back into his pants, cursing how ridiculously sexy Geralt and his game of footsies were. Who would have thought rubbing ankles with a man would make him want to throw himself at him? Jaskier wondered while looking at himself in the bathroom mirror. Hell, even that was clean. It was a complete contrast with the bars and pubs he had gone to when he was in college where you could practically contract an STI just from washing your hands.

Chuckling at the thought, Jaskier splashed some water on his face. He had managed to observe some more that night, but his plan had backfired when the handsome bartender had come to sit down in front of him. Was he foolish to imagine Geralt felt the spark between them too?

There was a constant push and pull between them, playful, teasing, yet full of wanton. He wondered if he would ever get enough of that man. Probably not.

The door opening drew Jaskier’s attention, and he raised a brow once he saw a familiar set of golden eyes staring into his. A funny look crossed over Geralt’s features as he quickly said hello.

“Hi,” Jaskier scoffed, letting go of the black sink and straightening his back. “Did you start to miss me-” 

He didn’t have time to finish his snarky remark before Geralt caged him between his strong arms, back arching as it was being pushed against the sink while Geralt continued to push forward until their chests were flush together and Jaskier was completely trapped.

It all happened so quickly, too fast for Jaskier to completely register what was happening until he saw the dark look in Geralt’s eyes. The man’s pupils were blown wide, leaving nothing but a ring of gold to stare back into, and a smirk had curled onto his lips as he watched Jaskier try to make sense of the situation.

“You were saying?” Geralt cocked his head to the side, mocking Jaskier’s confusion. He pushed Jaskier against the sink, and pressed against Jaskier’s, grin growing wider when the brunet’s breath hitched in the back of his throat. 

Jaskier’s eyes widened, cheeks growing searing hot. It was finally happening. It had taken him a moment to realize, but the lustful look in Geralt’s eyes wasn’t up for discussion. 

“You want me,” Jaskier said, mouth feeling awfully dry as he licked his lips. It was too good for words to finally feel Geralt’s body pressed against his own, and he could only imagine how good it would feel without their clothes on.

The thought alone was enough to send a shiver up and down his spine before the spike of arousal went straight to his groin. His cock twitched against the confinements of his pants, growing harder by the second as Geralt’s eyes pierced right through him and moved his hand to hold a grip on Jaskier’s thighs.

Geralt brought his face closer to Jaskier’s, hot breath puffing against his lips before he moved them to the side of his face and to his neck. Teeth grazing over his jawline, Geralt left a soft nip under Jaskier’s ear before whispering, “What gave me away?”

Jaskier swallowed thickly, eyes sliding close as the grip on his hips tightened and Geralt cupped his jaw with his free hand. The man left subtle kisses and nips all over his neck, letting Jaskier rut his groin against his cock in a desperate attempt to relieve some tension as he clutched his arms.

“You’re an impatient little shit, you know that?” Geralt said lowly in his ear, the deep rumble of his voice turning Jaskier into a puddle. Geralt could say anything at this point, and Jaskier would think it was the hottest thing ever.

“I thought you’d have more restraint.” Geralt moved his attention to one of his collarbones, sucking and nibbling at the junction, leaving a dark mark. “This push and pull game was quite the fun. I thought you would be able to keep it going for longer than this.”

Jaskier hissed at the stinging sensation, biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making more sinful noises as Geralt moved his tongue to the other side of his neck. Moans and whimpers left his throat, head heavy as he let Geralt move it the way he wanted to. 

“You seem to like the fact that I want you. If you’re unsatisfied, I can easily walk away right now,” Jaskier panted through parted lips. He wanted nothing more than for Geralt to finally press his mouth against his and make the lonely feeling on his lips go away.

Scoffing, Geralt lifted his head from Jaskier’s neck and cupped his cheeks with both hands. “Are you sure you could walk away right now?”

Jaskier quirked a brow, panting heavily as he felt the heat of Geralt’s lips inching closer to his. He could easily launch forward, catch his lips with his own, but he quite liked the thrill, the anticipation of what was about to come. “I could. Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe it is.” Geralt stuck out his tongue, swiping it across Jaskier’s bottom lip which made the brunet’s legs quiver. Oh, he was good. Too good, Jaskier thought as he let out an embarrassing moan from the brief contact.

Swallowing thickly, a determined look crossed over Jaskier’s features. “Okay then.” He decided to ignore the heat coiling in his belly and the tent in his pants as he pushed Geralt back, forcing him to take a step backwards. He would show him that he wasn’t some type of pushover; Jaskier was never good at turning down a challenge.

With his cheeks red, Jaskier straightened his back and stroked out the folds in his shirt after he got down from the sink. “See you later then,” he said, ego boosting from the baffled look Geralt had on his face. Oh, he had him, he had him right where he wanted him. He wanted Geralt to lose it and see that Jaskier wasn’t someone to be toyed with. 

When Jaskier turned around and started walking away, a frustrated groan left Geralt’s lips before he felt the pressure on his arm. “Yes?” Jaskier looked back over his shoulder, eyes twinkling with mischief at the absolutely lustful look in Geralt’s eyes. “Is there something you want to say?”

Geralt huffed through his nose, shaking his head. “No,” he said, and Jaskier’s eyes widened as Geralt pulled him back towards him, chests pressed flush together as Geralt cupped the back of his head. A smirk had curled onto Geralt’s lips before he connected them with Jaskier’s. 

Geralt gripped Jaskier’s waist as the brunet kissed him back fiercely, breathing heavily through his nose as he slotted their lips together again. Geralt’s lips were a little chapped but also soft and they emitted such passion it made Jaskier’s head spin. He had always found it silly when in movies or books the characters talked about how a kiss made them reel, but the unspoken boundary between them had broken and so did Jaskier’s restraint.

He pushed Geralt back against one of the stalls, sucking and licking the man’s mouth to his heart’s contempt as he heard a chuckle rumble deep from inside Geralt’s chest. That fucker, maybe Jaskier hadn’t been the one in power after all, but that didn’t mean he would give up that easily. With that thought in mind, Jaskier slipped his hand under Geralt’s button-up, letting himself feel the heat of his skin against his fingertips. 

He was absolutely ripped, Jaskier thought, feeling the muscles flexing under his palm as Geralt pushed their bodies impossibly closer and started squeezing his ass as he did so. A sinful noise left Geralt’s lips as Jaskier bit down on his bottom lip, sucking it between his lips as he raked his nails over the man’s stomach. The grip on his ass tightened, hands motioning circles and spreading them apart.

With his breath stuck in the back of his throat, Jaskier looked at Geralt wide-eyed, confused, when the man paused in his administrations. “What’s wr-?”

Jaskier looked at where Geralt was glaring at and noticed a customer standing in the doorframe, looking like he had seen a ghost. It was no one Jaskier recognized, but Geralt probably did as he told him to get the fuck out. Jaskier hadn’t expected it, but quite liked the thrill of someone walking in on them, something that hadn’t even occurred to him before then. 

Staring wide-eyed at the now closed door, Jaskier swallowed thickly before moving his attention back to Geralt who was still glaring at the doorframe. His golden orbs were dark, brows scrunched together as the possessive hold on his waist increased. 

“Well, looked like we had an audience,” Jaskier chuckled, trying to relieve the tension he felt emitting from Geralt’s stance, letting out an embarrassing yelp as Geralt’s fingernails dug into his hips and his instincts pushed Jaskier against the closed door. 

His back hit the door with a low thump, the back of his head following suit as Geralt furiously attacked his neck. His sight was obscured, a blurry mess as wandering hands roamed over his entire torso before they settled on his thighs and Geralt grabbed his ass again. 

“Geralt,” Jaskier moaned, trying to press his lips together as he panted heavily through his mouth, but when Geralt pressed his thigh against his groin, he gasped and fell forward, burying his face in the man’s neck as he gasped for air. “Jesus,” Jaskier groaned, the pressure on his cock in combination with the possessive hold on his hips and the harsh biting on his neck making his groin feel incredibly tight and his eyes roll back into his skull. He inhaled Geralt’s scent, almost feeling drunk on the mixture of pine trees and something that was entirely Geralt’s.

Jaskier clutched Geralt’s clothes before he ran his hands under the man’s button-up. He would never get enough of the feeling of his heated skin against his, and it took every ounce of logic that was still present in his mind not to get undressed on the spot just to feel the pressure and heat of Geralt’s body against him. 

“You’re doing things to me,” Jaskier panted, unsure of where he was going with the statement, but it felt right. Geralt was making him do and feel things he never had before, ready to be wholly consumed without a second thought. “More.”

“No one gets to see you like this,” Geralt said, his voice low, breath puffing against Jaskier’s lips before he slotted them together again in a hungry kiss. Geralt sucked his bottom lip into his mouth, rolling the skin between his teeth until it was red and swollen. He pressed his forehead against Jaskier’s, forcing the brunet to maintain eye contact as he spoke to him. “Understand?”

A mischievous smile curled on Jaskier’s lips as he wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, running his fingertips through the messed up ponytail. He wanted to see Geralt break. “Why? Are you afraid someone is gonna do a better job than you?”

Anger flashed before Geralt’s eyes as he grabbed a fistful of Jaskier’s hair, crimson working its way up his cheeks as he cursed under his breath.

Eyes boring into his skull, Jaskier swallowed thickly while his groin tightened; Geralt could probably do anything to him in that moment, make a mess out of him and leave him there, and that fear spurred him on even more. 

“You’ll regret saying that.” Geralt’s features softened before a smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. Pulling at Jaskier’s hair, forcing his head back and exposing his neck fully, his teeth sunk in more harshly than earlier, leaving a red mark in its wake. 

He had already made quite the collection on the brunet’s neck, but Jaskier enjoyed this possessive side of him, rather encouraged him by rutting against Geralt’s leg in circles as the man sucked and bit more purple marks on his neck. 

“You’re quite scandalous,” Geralt chuckled lowly in his ear before leaving a sloppy suck on his neck and moving his attention back to his lips, lazily sucking on Jaskier’s lips and tongue before biting down onto his bottom lip.

Jaskier hissed at the painful sting, but he welcomed the sensation nonetheless, moaning loudly as Geralt swiped his tongue across the bruise. “You like it.”

“What do I like?” Geralt’s smoldering gaze made heat spread through Jaskier’s gaze, and Jaskier couldn’t take any more of it; looking at Geralt was too intense and he wanted him closer. 

“That I let you mark me. I know you want me all for yourself,” Jaskier said between kisses, matching Geralt’s grin as he felt him smile against his lips.

“That wouldn’t be so bad now, would it? Have you all for myself. Kiss you.” Geralt’s lips pressed against his. “Feel you.” His hands stroked his sides before they settled on his waistband. “And touch you whenever we feel like it.” 

The man's fingers dipped under his waistband, and Jaskier’s hips jutted forward, unable to keep himself from groaning out a sinful whimper as he felt Geralt subtly touch the hair disappearing into his boxers. 

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” Geralt asked in his ear, his breath hot against his skin as he licked a stripe over his pulse point. “I’d like an answer.”

“That would be really, really nice,” Jaskier said, too far gone to toy with Geralt at that point. He wanted him to touch him, take him as he pleased, and feel the grip on his skin for hours even after they finished. 

“Good,” Geralt chuckled before kissing him hungrily, breathing heavily through his nose as he pressed his thigh harder against Jaskier’s groin, letting the brunet rut his hips against him to his heart’s contempt. 

Jaskier lost himself in the friction, moans and whispered praised spilling from his lips as he clutched Geralt’s shoulders while the man left kisses and nips all over his neck. His brows scrunched together when the pressure on his cock decreased. “What are you planning?” Jaskier looked up, not even surprised at that point by the playful look Geralt had in his eyes.

“That’s enough for tonight, wouldn’t you say?” Geralt smirked, before nibbling on his bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth. “Or do you need a little help with that?” Geralt’s palm pressed against Jaskier’s aching cock, making Jaskier’s hips jut forward.

“Jesus,” Jaskier groaned, eyes screwed shut when Geralt replaced his hand with his own crotch and rubbed their hard cocks together through the confinements of their jeans. “I can’t take this anymore, Geralt,” he said, face feeling like a volcano and knees wobbling as Geralt continued the assault on his neck. He was about to lose it, spill himself in his jeans, and make a fool of himself.

“I thought you’d have a little more stamina?” Geralt teased, leaving one last suck on Jaskier’s neck before he pressed their lips together as he undid the first button of Jaskier’s jeans. “Yes?” he asked before slipping his fingers under his boxers, grinning widely as Jaskier enthusiastically nodded his head.

“Yes, you could do anything,” Jaskier panted, mouth blabbering as he couldn’t contain himself anymore. He bit his lip to the point of almost breaking the skin when Geralt finally pulled his boxers down enough to take his cock out of its confinement. The heat of Geralt’s palm felt so deliciously good, setting his entire body ablaze.

“Anything? How about I make you mine?” 

Their lips connected again, and Jaskier was too wound up to interject. He couldn’t possibly think of a snarky, teasing remark as Geralt’s hand started moving up and down his cock. He had expected the man to torture him a little longer, take it slow and make him beg for it, but he soon found his knees and thighs trembling as Geralt stroked his cock deliciously with perfect accuracy. 

His moans were muffled by Geralt’s mouth, tongues sliding against each other as the heat in the pit of his stomach increased with each pull at his cock. 

“Fucking hell, Geralt,” Jaskier panted between messy nips at the man’s lips. 

He was too far gone at that point, knowing he only needed a few more quick thrusts before he would come. He had thought he wanted to savor the moment he and Geralt finally hooked up, but with Geralt panting against his lips, eyes boring into his skull and feeding off of every twitch of pleasure on Jaskier’s face and his palm wrapped around his cock, he couldn’t fight back any longer.

After a few more strokes and gradually stuttering breaths, Jaskier spilled himself in Geralt’s palm with a silent cry. Vision white, eyes rolling back into his skull, he let his head lull back against the door as Geralt worked him through his orgasm by languidly moving his hand up and down.

“That good, huh?” Geralt chuckled against his neck, leaving one last mark on his pulse point before he pulled his dirtied hand away. Jaskier was still slumped against the door, trying to catch his breath as he tucked himself back into his pants and Geralt went to quickly wash his hands. 

“You’re insufferable,” Jaskier panted, licking his lips as his throat felt awfully dry. He had always had trouble coming with previous partners, but hell, Geralt had made him come so quickly and made him hard by simply rubbing ankles with him. He was already hooked.

Geralt looked at him out of the corner of his eye, a subtle smirk curled on his lips as he dried off his hands. “That, I am.”

Jaskier blinked a few times, trying to make his eyes focus on the gorgeous man that was walking towards him. Geralt caged him between his arms again, pressing his forehead against Jaskier’s, and when Jaskier made a move to press his palm against his cock, Geralt swatted his hand away.

“What about you?” Jaskier asked with a quirked brow, confusion clear on his face.

Geralt shrugged, smiling smugly as he towered over the brunet. “See me as more of a giver until you finally decide to sleep with me.”

Jaskier’s brows shot up into his hairline, heart threatening to break out of his ribcage as he realized Geralt wanted more of him, wanted to _see_ him more. “Sounds like I’ve made quite the impression.”

Geralt’s eyes narrowed, flicking his finger against Jaskier’s temple. “Do you have sand in your ears?” 

“Ouch! What was that for?” Jaskier rubbed the side of his face, eyes widening as Geralt took his palm into his hand and pressed it above his head. 

Face inching closer, Geralt’s breath puffed against Jaskier’s lips as he said, “Didn’t I tell you that I was interested? Or do you only listen to me when you’re rutting your hips against me?”

Swallowing thickly, Jaskier didn’t know what else to say. He prided himself in always finding something to comment, a snarky remark here and there, but this handsome man had left him speechless once again. Maybe he couldn’t tell him, but he showed him how he felt about him by pressing their lips together again. 

A startled noise left Geralt’s throat as Jaskier closed the final distance between them, kissing him hungrily as if he was about to disappear, and it only spurred the brunet on. He would see Geralt break, if it wasn’t today, it’d be some other time, but he would see it. He was sure of that.

“Easy there,” Geralt chuckled, leaving one last peck before moving Jaskier away from the couch. “I think I need to rush back to the booth or you’re going to make me regret my decision.”

Jaskier licked his lips, looking at Geralt through hooded eyes. “That’s the plan.”

A smirk was all that Jaskier saw as Geralt left the bathroom, leaving him to fend for himself with the semi he was sporting once again. Damn him, Jaskier thought as he tried to cool himself down by splashing some cold water onto his neck. He looked at the red and purple marks all over his neck, gut clenching at the reminder of what had just happened. This job had become far more interesting than he had first thought.

With a smile stretched across his cheeks, Jaskier walked out of the bathroom, trying to hide the bite marks on his neck by pulling up the collar of his shirt. It was probably to no avail, but he wasn’t as shameless as he had previously thought. Well, it wasn’t as if he had anything to compare this experience to.

Geralt was sat at their booth again, smirking at him as his eyes were glued to the brunet while he walked back to his seat. 

“Long time no see,” Jaskier said, trying to ease the tension by making a joke. Geralt’s eyes were still focused on him, pupils dilated and making the air feel hot around them. 

“You were gone a while. Did you have another round all by yourself back there?”

“No,” Jaskier blurted out before he could think of a wittier response. He was quiet for a few seconds, trying to regain his composure as he straightened his back. “I thought you were supposed to do that. You know… unless I need to seek it elsewhere?”

Geralt’s eyes narrowed before a breathy chuckle left his throat. He shook his head, filling up their glasses of whiskey. “You sure know how to get under my skin.”

Jaskier shrugged, appearing casual. “What else am I supposed to do when you tease me like that?”

“Nothing else. But make sure to be ready for the consequences.” 

“Oh, I will be.” Jaskier rested his chin on his palm, shamelessly eyeing Geralt’s torso before he licked his lips as he looked at his crotch. “I bet it’s a treat.”

Scoffing through his nose, Geralt leaned back into the booth and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re one of a kind. You know that?” 

“Apparently I am.” 

They sneered between themselves until Jaskier eyed the bar again, noting that Lambert had gone to the back and their boss was nowhere to be found. “Changing topic,” he said, swallowing the excitement down his throat. “Where did your boss go?”

Geralt blinked a few times before following Jaskier’s stare at the bar. “Ah, probably upstairs doing paperwork.”

“With a bottle of bourbon?” Jaskier chuckled.

“It helps him focus,” Geralt said in quotation marks, and Jaskier couldn’t help but smile as Geralt barked out a laugh. Despite the obvious attraction he felt towards Geralt, he seemed like a good person. Rough around the edges, but sweet on the inside. Someone who could snap him in half if he wanted to, and who would fuck anyone up who would come near Jaskier; exactly his type.

He would be the death of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts! :D


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